Inflatable crib for babies

ABSTRACT

A PLURALITY OF INFLATABLE SIDE PANELS AND AN INFLATABLE BOTTOM PANEL ARE SECURED TOGETHER TO FORM AN INFLATABLE CRIB FOR BABIES. THE SIDE PANELS ARE PROVIDED WITH VENTILATING APERTURES THAT ARE RANDOMLY SPACED TO MAINTAIN MAXIMUM STRUCTURAL RIGIDITY OF THE CRIB IN ITS INFLATED CONDITION. THE CRIB IS SECURED ON THE BACK SEAT OF AN AUTOMOBILE BY STRAPS, EACH OF WHICH HAS A HOOK SECURED TO ONE END AND A HOLDING BAR SECURED TO ITS OTHER END. THE HOOKS ARE SUITABLE ANCHORED TO EITHER THE FORNT OR REAR OF THE BACK SEAT STRUCTURE AND EACH HOLDING BAR IS INSERTED ENDWISE THROUGH A SLOT PROVIDED THEREFOR IN ONE OF THE SIDE PANELS OF THE CRIB. EACH SLOT IS SHORTER THAN THE HOLDING BAR, AND AFTER EACH HOLDING BAR PASSES COMPLETELY THROUGH ITS SLOT, ITS STRAP IS TWISTED TO MOVE IT OUT OF AXIAL ALIGN-   MENT WITH ITS SLOT TO PREVENT ACCIDENTAL SEPARATION OF THE SRAP FROM THE CRIB THE BOTTOM PANEL OF THE CRIB MAY BE INTEGRAL WITH THE SIDE PANELS, OR MAY BE SEPARATE FROM THE SIDE PANEL AND SECURED THERETO BY SNAP FASTERNER. THE FASTNER ELEMENTS ON THE BOTTOM PANELS ARE SPACED FROM ITS EDGES TO PERMIT THE USE OF A FITTED SHEET ON THE BOTTOM PANEL.

Nov. 16, 197] T u ETAL INFLATABLE CRIB FOR BABIES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 12, 1969 Nov. 16, 1971 J. E. TAUB ETAL 3,619,325

INFLATABLE CRIB FOR BABIES Filed Sept. 12, 1969 5 SheetsSheet Z Nov. 16, 1971 J. E. TAUB L INFLATABLE CRIB FOR BABIES 5 Sheets-Sheet :5

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v, (w M w m M 8 7 m 0 Nu n M m H mm M Nov. 16, 1971 E, T ETAL INFLATABLE CRIB FOR BABIES 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 12, 1969 United States Patent 3,619,825 INFLATABLE CRIB FOR BABIES Jack E. Taub, 770 Twisted Oak Lane, Buffalo Grove, Ill. 60090, and Michael J. Zidman, 9138 N. Bellefort, Morton Grove, Ill. 60053 Filed Sept. 12, 1969, Ser. No. 857,344 Int. Cl. A47c 9/00, 27/08 US. Cl. -94 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A plurality of inflatable side panels and an inflatable bottom panel are secured together to form an inflatable crib for babies. The side panels are provided with ventilating apertures that are randomly spaced to maintain maximum structural rigidity of the crib in its inflated condition. The crib is secured on the back seat of an automobile by straps, each of which has a hook secured to one end and a holding bar secured to its other end. The hooks are suitably anchored to either the front or rear of the back seat structure and each holding bar is inserted endwise through a slot provided therefor in one of the side panels of the crib. Each slot is shorter than the holding bar, and after each holding bar passes completely through its slot, its strap is twisted to move it out of axial alignment with its slot to prevent accidental separation of the strap from the crib. The bottom panel of the crib may be integral with the side panels, or may be separate from the side panels and secured thereto by snap fasteners. The fastener elements on the bottom panel are spaced from its edges to permit the use of a fitted sheet on the bottom panel.

An inflatable crib comprises a bottom panel and four side panels of suitable vinyl plastic material. The panels are double walled and may be inflated either separately or as a single unit. The panels are provided with openings of suitable size to provide ventilation. The crib is positioned on the seat of an automobile and secured in place by adjustable straps. The panels may be deflated to facilitate portability and storage.

This invention relates to an inflatable crib that may be readily secured to an automobile seat to protect baby against the shocks of sudden stops while riding in an automobile, and may be removed from the seat easily and deflated to facilitate portability and storage.

Suitable structure by means of which the above mentioned and other advantages of the invention are attained will be fully described in the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing a few preferred embodiments of the invention, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, showing a crib embodying the invention as it is mounted on the back seat of an automobile;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the structure of FIG. 1, with portions of one end wall of the crib broken away to show the inner ends of the holding straps secured to the crib;

FIG. 3 is a front view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of the structure of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but showing a different embodiment of the invention in which the bottom panel is detachably secured to the side panels;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the structure of FIG. 4, with portions of one side wall broken away and the bottom panel separated from the side panels;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the side panel structure of FIGS. 4 and 5;

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of another embodi- 3,619,825 Patented Nov. 16, 1971 ment in which the side panels are detachably secured together;

FIG. 8 is a top elevational view of the structure of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view showing the top secured to the front panel of the crib and one of the front holding straps secured to a part of the automobile;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view showing the' means for securing together two of the side panels of the structure of FIGS. 7 and 8;

FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view, taken in the plane indicated by the line 1111 of FIG. 10; and

FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view showing a different means for securing the front straps to the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 4 to 6.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 9, the crib comprises an integral body section 10 and a top section 11 that is detachably secured thereto. The body section comprises a bottom panel 12 and four upstanding side panels 13 permanently secured to each other and to the outer edge portions of the bottom panel. Each panel comprises an inner wall 14 and an outer wall 15 of rubber, synthetic rubber, or any suitable plastic material, such as polyvinylchloride, or vinyl copolymers, for example. The adjoining edge portions of the inner walls 14 provide flaps 16 that are secured together to form airtight seams at each of the joints between the panels. Each of the panels is provided with a valve 17 that permits inflation by means of an air hose at any gas station or by a hand pump. Although all of the panels may be inflated through a single valve located in any one of the panels, it is preferred to provide a valve in each panel because of the restrictive effect the flaps 16 may have on the flow of air between the panels. The panels may be deflated and the crib may be packed in a small package that is convenient to carry. The small size of the crib in its deflated condition also facilitates shipment and storage.

The inner and outer walls 14 and 15 of the side panels are each provided with a plurality of apertures 18 that may be of uniform size or may be of various sizes. However, each aperture in one of the Walls has an aperture of the same size in register therewith in the other Wall. The peripheral edge portion of each pair of registered aperture 18 are sealed together to define openings 19 for ventilation of the body section of the crib. None of the openings 19 is large enough to allow babys head to pass through it. The openings 19 are spaced at random throughout each of the side panels to provide maximum ventilation while keeping the structural weakening at a minimum.

The crib is secured in place, preferably on the back seat of an automobile, by a pair of holding straps 20 at the front of the crib and a second pair of holding straps 21 at the back of the crib. The straps 20 and 21 may be identical, except for their length. Each of the straps 20 has an adjusting plate 22 for holding it in any desired length. Each of the straps 21 may be adjustable in the same manner as the straps 20, but preferably are of fixed length. The adjusting plate 22 may be of suitable construction, but preferably has two vertically spaced horizontal slots through which the strap 20 extends. After the leading end of the strap 20 is threaded through the slots of the plate 22 it is threaded through a slot 23 in one end of a hook 24 and then through the slots of the plate 22 a second time. The doubled portions of the strap extending through the slots of the plate bind against each other to keep the strap from slipping. The hook 24 is dimensioned to engage the front edge of the bottom of the automobile seat. A hook 25 shaped to engage the bottom of the seat at its 3 rear edge portion is secured to one end of each strap 21.

The side panels at the front and back of the crib each have a pair of slots 26 near the lower edge thereof. The slots 26 are located adjacent opposite ends of the crib. Each of the straps. 20 and 21 has one end thereof secured to the crib by means of a holding bar 27 that is secured transversely of the strap within a loop 28 formed at the end of the strap. The holding bar 27 is longer than the length of the slot 26 and projects beyond each edge of the loop 28. The looped end of the strap is twisted, and the holding bar 27 is held parallel to the strap as it is passed endwise through the slot 26 with the twisted end of the strap. After the holding bar passes through the slot, the strap resumes its normal untwisted shape, and the holding bar engages the portions of the side panel adjacent the ends of the slot 26 to prevent the strap from pulling out of the slot accidentally.

The top section 11 is preferably in the form of a soft, flexible sheet 29 of wide mesh fabric, and may be secured across the open top of the body section of the crib to prevent the occupant of the crib from being thrown out of the crib. The fabric sheet 29 is larger than the open top of the body section, and its edges drape over the upper edge of each of the side panels when it is placed on top of the body section of the crib. Two straps 30 are permanently secured to each of two opposite edges of the sheet 29, and the free end of each of these straps is provided with a loop 31. Two opposite side panels, preferably at the front and back of the crib, each have a pair of slots 32, similar to the slots 26, near the upper edge thereof, but slightly below the horizontal plane defined by the edges of the sheet 29 when it is placed on top of the body section of the crib. A holding bar 33, similar to the holding bar 27, is secured to the free end of each strap 30 in the same manner as the bars 27 are fixed to the straps 20 and 21. The opposite edges of the top 29 are secured to the side panels at the front and back of body section of the crib in the same manner in which the straps 20 and 21 are secured to the crib.

The other embodiments of the invention are substantially like that of FIGS. 13, and the same reference numerals are used to indicate identical structure. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 46, the bottom panel 34 is a separate member, and is detachably secured to the side panels 35 in a manner hereinafter described. The side panels 35 are preferably permanently secured to each other at each of their adjoining edges, but, if desired, may be secured permanently at only three of the adjoining edges and may be detachably secured at the fourth edge by any suitable means. Each of the side panels 35 has an integral flap 36 extending inwardly from its lower edge. A plurality of snap fastener elements 37 secured to each flap 36 are located to cooperate with complementary snap fastener elements 38 that are secured to the bottom face of the bottom panel 34. The snap fastener elements 38 are spaced inwardly from the outer edges of the panel 34 far enough to allow a contour fitted sheet 39 to be placed on top of the bottom panel without interfering with the snap fasteners. The fastener elements 37 are spaced the same as the elements 38 so that they may cooperate therewith to secure the bottom panel in place when the complementary fastener elements are snapped into interengagement.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 7, 8, and 11, four side panels 40 are secured to the outer edges of a bottom panel 41. The panels are similar to the panels of FIGS. 1-3 except that the side panels 40 are not permanently secured to each other. Tubular lugs 42 are secured to opposite ends of each side panel adjacent the upper edge thereof. The lugs project outwardly from the side panels and are offset, so each lug is aligned vertically with the lug on the adjacent side panel when the side panels are bent upwardly into upright position relative to the bottom panel. A pin 43 having an enlarged head 44 is inserted into each pair of vertically aligned lugs to detachably secure the side panels to each other.

The embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 12 is the same as that of FIGS. 46 except that the front straps are secured to the crib in a different manner. In this embodiment, the flap 45 extending inwardly from the lower edge of the side panel 46 has a pair of slots 47 through which one end of the strap 48 is inserted. The inserted end of the strap 48 is apertured to fit over the snap fastener element 37. The interengagement of the fastener elements 37 and 38 securely holds the end of the strap 48 to the crib.

Although we have described a few preferred embodiments of our invention in considerable detail, it will be understood that the description is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, as many details of structure may be modified or changed Without departing from the spirit or scope of our invention. Accordingly, we do not desire to be restricted to the exact structure described.

We claim:

1. A portable crib comprising four side panels formed as a continuous member and a bottom panel formed as a separate member, each of said panels being of double wall construction, means for securing said side panels in upstanding relationship with the lower edge of each side panel adjacent one edge of said bottom panel, each of said side panels having a flap secured to its lower edge, and interengageable fastening members on each of said flaps and on the underside of said bottom panel for securing each of said side panels to said bottom panel, the fastening members on the underside of said bottom panel being spaced inwardly from the outer edges of said bottom panel to prevent interference with a fitted sheet mounted on said bottom panel, valve means for permitting infiation of each of said panels, and means for se curing said crib to an automobile seat, said last mentioned means comprising a plurality of slots in each of the two side panels forming the front and back sides of the crib, and a plurality of straps, said straps each having one end secured to one of said two side panels by a holding rod secured thereto and inserted through one of said slots, each of said holding rods being longer than the slot through which it is inserted, and a hook on the other end of each strap for securing it to an automobile seat.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,230,557 1/1966 Hale 5-327 R 3,523,310 8/1970 Shead 5-327 R 2,757,387 8/1956 Kelly 5-94 3,145,396 8/1964 Zindell 5-97 3,323,147 6/1967 Van Dean 5-99 X 3,336,608 8/1967 Lerner 5-98 X 3,420,574 1/1969 V. Smith 297-456 FOREIGN PATENTS 965,933 8/ 1964 Great Britain 5-94 CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 5-97 

